Filter unit and vacuum attachment therefor



Oct. 24, 1967 c. F. SPITZER FILTER UNIT AND VACUUM ATTACHMENT THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheetl Fi led Dec. 21, 1964 INVENTOR 21K011 PITZEI? 1 ATTOR EY;

Oct. 24, 1967 c. F. SPITZER FILTER UNIT AND VACUUM ATTACHMENT THEREFOR Filed Dec. 21; 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,348,686 FKLTER UNIT AND VACUUM ATTACHMENT THEREFOR Carroll F. Spitzer, Rte. 3, Hagerstown, Md. 21740 Filed Dec. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 419,699 7 Claims. (Cl. 210169) The present invention relates to apparatus for filtering foreign matter from liquids and more particularly to apparatus for filtering the water of pools such as swimming pools and for facilitating the cleaning of submerged surfaces of such pools.

It is necessary in pools that are to be used for swimming to frequently or continuously remove foreign matter from the water in order for the water to continue to have an attractive appearance and healthful condition even though such pools are normally chlorinated to kill bac-' teria and like organisms. Grass cuttings, wind-borne dust and similar materials are usually continuously filtered from the pool water by a pool skimmer and filter arrangement whereas dirt, oil sediment and the like are removed from the pool side Walls and bottom usually by a water suction brush arrangement.

One factor which has acted as a damper on the wider ownership of family swimming pools has been the initial cost of the supporting maintenance equipment such as the necessary pool filtering and cleaning apparatus.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide inexpensive apparatus for both filtering the water and cleaning the submerged wall surfaces of swimming pools or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the type described which is portable and is adapted for support peripherally of the pool for partial submersion therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision in apparatus of the type described of an adjustable support to facilitate proper positioning of the apparatus for effective operation in view of varying water depths in the pool.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the type described which is quickly convertible between its pool filtering and pool submerged surface cleaning modes.

These and still further objects of the invention will become more clearly apparent during the course of the following detailed discussion relating to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the attached drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the apparatus of the invention in the pool filtering mode thereof, parts being broken away and sectioned to facilitate understanding of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 and having the pool cleaning sub-assembly secured thereto;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectioned view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line 44 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view at reduced scale and with some parts sectioned showing the apparatus of the invention in the pool cleaning mode thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the pool filter includes an electric motor 12 having the power takeoff shaft 14 thereof directed axially downwardly and enclosed within an axially extending shaft protecting tube 16. At its lower end the shaft 14 receives an impeller 18 which is surrounded at its upper and radially outer extent by an impeller housing 20.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the housing 20 includes a generally laterally and tangentially extending outlet tube or conduit 22 which communicates with the chamber 24 defined within the impeller housing 20. At its lower extent the housing 20 terminates in a generally horizontal, centrally apertured disk-like plate 26.

The filter case 32 of the apparatus shown comprises a centrally apertured, disk-like integral top wall 34 having a central aperture 36 and an annular downwardly depending flange 3-8 integrally joined to said top wall peripherally adjacent said aperture 36 and having a radially inner extent arranged to peripherally engage the intake tube 28 so as to position the same within the filter case in alignment with the plate aperture 30 so as to communicate therethrough with the impeller chamber 24 centrally thereof. The axially extending intake tube 28 has a plurality of radially extending openings 29 therethrough through which filtered water is withdrawn from the filter case by the impeller 18.

The disk-like top wall 34 of the filter case is preferably secured to the impeller housing 20 by means such as a plurality of screws 40 threaded radially inwardly into the top wall 34 and into the arcuately spaced, downwardly depending legs 41 of the housing 20. The legs 41 are received in appropriate notches in the top wall exterior. Alternate means such as peripheral threading on said legs could be advantageously employed instead of screws 40.

A tubular reticulated case side wall 42 is integrally joined at its upper extent to the top Wall 34. The case 32 is completed by a disk-like cap 44 having an integral upwardly directed peripheral annular flange 48. The cap 44 is preferably removably secured to the case side wall 42 at the lower end thereof, for instance by internal threads on the cap flange 48 and external threads on the case side wall adjacent its lower end. Disk-like resilient gaskets 50 and 51 are preferably interposed between the cap inner face 52 and the case side wall axially lower extent 54 and subjacent the top wall 34 respectively to prevent fluid leakage from the pool into the filter case be- 'tween the cap and the side wall or leakage around the ends of the filter element to be described. The resilient gasket 51 is centrally apertured at 53 so as to radially engage the flange 38. A cylindrical plug 55 is slidingly received within the lower end of the intake tube 28 to provide a seal against water entering tube 28 from the bottom thereof.

As shown the side wall 42 includes a plurality of inlet openings 56 extending generally radially therethrough over substantially the entire extent of the side wall.

As seen in FIGURES l, 3, and 4, the filter case 32 receives a reusable pleated filter element 58 having a plurality of longitudinally extending, generally radially projecting flutes or convolutions 60. Preferably the element=58 is composed of resin coated paper as is known in the art. The longitudinal axial extent of the filter element 58 is such that it engages the resilient gaskets 50 and 51 adjacent the filter case top wall and bottom cap respectively so that incoming, unfiltered water is effectively prevented from passing around the ends of the filter element. Accordingly, when the assembly shown in FIGURE 1 is partially submerged in a pool as shown and the pump including the motor, shaft and impeller operated, water is drawn from the pool through the case side wall openings 56 and through the filter element 58 where foreign matter and impurities are removed and caught by the filter element. The purified water passing through the filter element enters the intake tube 28 through the open ings 2 9, is drawn upwardly in the tube to the impeller chamber and expelled therefrom into the pool through the outlet conduit 22.

The filter case and cap are preferably formed from inexpensive, durable material such as vinyl butyrate plastic, although other materials such as aluminum or stainless steel could be employed in some instances.

The pool filter is shown in FIGURE 1 positioned for operation in an above ground pool 62 by submersion up to a point between the motor and the filter case. The assembly is supported by a bracket 64 preferably composed of metal such as stainless steel or aluminum. It comprises a generally horizontally extending arm 66 secured as by bolts 68 at its outer end to the motor 12, and having a generally vertically upwardly directed flange 70 at its inner end. The flange 70 has an opening 72 there through adapted to receive a fastener 74 such as a thumbscrew for removable securement of the arm 66 to a support element 76. This latter element includes a generally vertically extending portion 78 having a plurality of vertically spaced openings 80 therethrough through which the fastener 74 can be alternately secured to adjust the filter 10 so that the filter case and outlet conduit are submerged and thus compensate for differing water depths with respect to the pool wall upper extent.

The lower end of the support element portion 78 includes an outwardly scrolled portion 81 positionable as shown to hold the filter assembly in an upright condition and hold the support portion 78 out from the pool side wall 82. The support element 76 is completed by an outwardly hooked portion 84 extending from the upper end of the vertical portion 78. The hook 84 is adapted to hook over and be supported on the upper extent or coping 86 of the pool side wall 82.

An opening 88 near the free end of the hook 84 receives a securing device 90 such as a thumb screw which is utilized to removably secure the bracket and filter to the pool side wall.

The subassembly for adapting the assembly shown in FIGURE 1 for cleaning the submerged side wall and bottom surfaces of the pool is shown in FIGURES 2-5.

This subassembly includes a chamber 92 adapted to surround the filter case. The chamber 92 as shown includes a disk shaped bottom or cap 94 secured to the larger diameter lower end of the frusto-conical side wall 96. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the side wall 96 terminates in a radially outwardly directed circumferentially extending flange or lip 98. A plurality of over-the-center clamps 100 are secured to the chamber side wall adjacent the lip 98. A radially expansible and contractable O-clamp 102 is positioned radially outwardly of the filter case top 34.

A resilient annular washer 103 is interposed between the top 34 and the clamp 102. The clamp is then tightened thus compressing the washer 103 and frictionally securing the O-clamp to the filter case. To secure the chamber 92 in position as shown in FIGURE 2, the lip 98 is presented against the lower surface of the O-clamp 102 and the over-the-center clamps 100 snapped over the O-clamp 102. It should be apparent that the fastening means just discussed is exemplary and could be replaced by equivalent removably securing means such as peripheral threading on the exterior of the filter case near the top thereof and complementary peripheral threads on the interior of the chamber side wall 96 adjacent the upper extent thereof.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the chamber 92 has an interior which is substantially larger than the filter case particularly near the lower extent of the chamber.

The chamber side wall additionally includes an opening 106 near the lower end thereof.

An annular hose fitting 108 is shown received through the opening 106 and secured therein by a threaded annulus 110. Alternately the entire chamber including the hose fitting could be integrally molded, for instance from thermoplastic material such as a vinyl resin.

The operation of the apparatus in the pool submerged wall surface cleaning mode thereof can best be explained with reference to FIGURE 5. A conventional pool cleaning brush 112 attached to a tubular wand 114 and a flex- 4 ible hose 116 is removably secured by a conventional fitting 118 to the chamber carried hose fitting 108.

In use the pump unit previously described is turned on and the brush reciprocated over the submerged pool wall surfaces. As the brush removes foreign material and sediment from the Wall surfaces, the water in the locus of the brush is sucked through the brush carrying the removed foreign material and sediment with it. This impure water travels through the wand and hose to the chamber 92 interior, through the filter case intake openings as described hereinabove and through the pleated filter where the foreign material and sediment are removed. The water thus filtered is drawn up the perforated intake tube, through the impeller chamber and out the impeller chamber discharge conduit and into the pool.

Because the filter unit 10 is easily movable around the periphery of the pool by virtue of the novel mounting bracket described hereinbefore neither a plurality of such units, nor excessively long flexible hosing for the pool brush are needed when the unit is utilized for a family sized swimming pool or the like. Additionally inasmuch as the unit 10 is easily convertible between its filtering and pool cleaning modes, separate units to perform these operations are not necessary and a substantial saving is effected.

It should be apparent that the novel apparatus of the invention just discussed in regard to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings effectively accomplishes each of the inventions objects as set forth hereinbefore and makes the inventions principles apparent. Inasmuch as the embodiment depicted can be modified somewhat without departing from the principles the invention should be understood as encompassing all modifications which are within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A pool filter assembly comprising: a pump having a suction inlet and a pressure discharge, said pump including a motor, a power takeoff shaft protruding from said motor, an impeller secured of said shaft at the outer end thereof and means defining an impeller chamber surrounding said impeller; a perforated intake tube communicated to said suction inlet, a filter element peripherally surrounding said perforated intake tube and a filter case surrounding said filter element, said filter element comprising paper having a plurality of longitudinal convolutions, said filter case having a generally cylindrical side wall and having disk-like top and bottom ends, a disk-like resilient gasket positioned within said filter case adjacent each of said ends said filter element being of a length to engage each of said resilient gaskets; and means defining a plurality of openings through said filter case for admitting water to be filtered by passage through said filter element bracket means removably mountable on a pool side wall by a first portion thereof, said bracket means including a generally laterally extending arm secured to said pump; said assembly additionally comprising a pool cleaning subassembly including a hose-attached surface cleaner device and means defining a chamber of a size to receive and at least partially surround said filter case, means on said filter case and means on said chamber means for securing said chamber means to said filter case in an .at least partially surrounding condition with respect to said filter case; means defining a surface cleaner device hose receiving coupling on said chamber means and communicated therethrough to the filter case for communicating the surface cleaner device to the filter case.

2. A pool filter assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said laterally extending arm is selectively positionable with respect to the bracket pool side Wall mountable portion.

3. A pool filter assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bracket pool side wall mountable portion includes a generally vertical section having means defining a plurality of openings therethrough, each being adapted for alternate mounting said laterally extending arm, means defining an outwardly and downwardly hooked section joined to the upper extent of said vertical section, means defining an opening through said hooked section, and an advanceable and retractable securement means received in the last-mentioned opening for removably securing the bracket to .a pool side wall.

4. A pool filter assembly as set forth in claim 1, also comprising a scrolled section joined to the lower extent of said bracket pool side wall portion vertical section, said scrolled section being arranged to engage a pool side wall to maintain the filter assembly oriented so that the pump power take off shaft is substantially vertical.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said filter disk-like bottom end is imperforate and removable to thereby facilitate removal and replacement of the filter element and prevent leakage of impure water past the filter element.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said chamber means is removably secured to the filter case.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the surface cleaner device comprises a flexible hose secured at one end thereof to said hose receiving coupling; a tubular wand secured at one end thereof to the opposite end of said hose; and a brush secured to said wand adjacent the opposite end thereof from its securement to said hose.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,413,991 1/1947 Newman 210493 2,533,936 12/1950 Holmes et al 210-416 2,730,241 1/1956 Thomas 210-493 3,012,676 12/1961 Englesberg 210416 3,036,712 5/1962 Barbara 210169 3,160,588 12/1964 Alarie 210-169 3,172,850 3/1965 Englesberg et al 210-416 FOREIGN PATENTS 348,794- 5/1931 Great Britain.

REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

F. MEDLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POOL FILTER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A PUMP HAVING A SUCTION INLET AND A PRESSURE DISCHARGE, SAID PUMP INCLUDING A MOTOR, A POWER TAKEOFF SHAFT PROTRUDING FROM SAID MOTOR, AN IMPELLER SECURED OF SAID SHAFT AT THE OUTER END THEREOF AND MEANS DEFINING AN IMPELLER CHAMBER SURROUNDING SAID IMPELLER; A PERFORATED INTAKE TUBE COMMUNICATED TO SAID SUCTION INLET, A FILTER ELEMENT PERIPHERALLY SURROUNDING SAID PERFORATED INTAKE TUBE AND A FILTER CASE SURROUNDING SAID FILTER ELEMENT, SAID FILTER ELEMENT COMPRISING PAPER HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINAL CONVOLUTIONS, SAID FILTER CASE HAVING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL AND HAVING DISK-LIKE TOP AND BOTTOM ENDS, A DISK-LIKE RESILIENT GASKET POSITIONED WITHIN SAID FILTER CASE ADJACENT EACH OF SAID ENDS SAID FILTER ELEMENT BEING OF A LENGTH TO ENGAGE EACH OF SAID RESILIENT GASKETS; AND MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THROUGH SAID FILTER CASE FOR ADMITTING WATER TO BE FILTERED BY PASSAGE THROUGH SAID FILTER ELEMENT BRACKET MEANS REMOVABLY MOUNTABLE ON A POOL SIDE WALL BY A FIRST PORTION THEREOF, SAID BRACKET MEANS INCLUDING A GENERALLY LATERALLY EXTENDING ARM SECURED TO SAID PUMP; SAID ASSEMBLY ADDITIONALLY COMPRISING A POOL CLEANING SUBASSEMBLY INCLUDING A HOSE-ATTACHED SURFACE CLEANER DEVICE AND MEANS DEFINING A CHAMBER OF 